Most conventional clamps require a person to have both hands available to secure an object within the clamp or to open the clamp to release the object, which is not always convenient or a viable option at the time of use. More specifically, conventional clamp mechanisms typically require a person to use one hand to open or close the clamp while the other hand is needed to hold or otherwise control the object being placed into the clamp or being removed from the clamp. If only one hand is available to secure the object within the clamp, the object may fall out of the clamp after it has been placed into the clamp with one hand when that same hand must release the object in order to secure the clamp mechanism so it securely holds the object. Similarly, while the clamp is being opened by one hand that same hand is not able to hold onto the object, so that object may fall out of the clamp.
Because such conventional clamps completely release an object when opened, a person is forced to use one hand to control the object when a clamp is in an open clamp state, transitioning from an open clamp state to a closed clamp state, or transitioning from a closed clamp state to an open clamp state. But, in certain applications, two hands are not available for placing an object into or removing an object from a clamp.
Conventional clamps that do allow single-handed operation, such as various types of clamps used to hold handles of brooms, mops, and of various types of tools, typically do not have a means for locking the clamp in its closed clamp state and do not perform well in overhead applications where the weight of an object placed into such a clamp can cause it to fall out of the clamp, in particular in an application where another object to which the clamp is attached is jarred suddenly. For example, such conventional clamps for single-handed operation would not be desirable in an application where a heavy object needs to be attached to the roof of a vehicle traveling across rough terrain or secured within a spacecraft.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved clamp for single-handed operation.